Casting machine for lining bearings



June 1949 w. H. TOBENER, JR 2,473,481

CASTING MACHINE FOR LINING BEARINGS Filed Jan. 12, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZE-zVEHZi Jr' VV/LL/AM HENRY 7555mm, 4/19.

June M, 1949. w. H.- TOBENER, JR 2,473,431

CASTING MACHINE FOR LINING BEARINGS Filed Jan. 12, 1946 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 TU ENTEF WILL/AM HENRY 7555mm, (/13 Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE signor to Thompson Products, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 12, 1946, Serial No. 640,916

8 Claims. 1 This invention relates to casting machines especially adapted for lining bearings.

Specifically, the invention deals with casting machines for babbitting bearings such as connecting rods for internal combustion engines.

for the bearing or lining produced by the casting operation.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision of radially extending keys on the mandrel to form lubricant grooves in the bearing produced While the machines of this invention are gen- 5 by the casting operation and to facilitate separaerally useful for die casting, and especially for tion of the pieces of a multi-section bearing. lining hollow articles with metal, they are espe- Another feature of the invention is the provicially useful in connection with the rebabbitting sion of bead-forming recesses in the pour plate of connecting rods for internal combustion enand in the work support around the mandrel ior gines, and will hereinafter be specifically deforming bearing beads on the opposed end faces scribed for such usage. It should be understood, of the work to build up worn or undersized end however, that the invention is not limited to use faces. of the machine for rebabbitting connecting rods. A still further feature of the invention is the According to this invention the machine is proprovision of a spring-pressed retractable mandrel vided with a work support receiving a springcooperating with a, clamping device so that the pressed mandrel or core member therethrough. work is firmly held in position for the casting This mandrel projects above the work support operation without interference from the mandrel. and receives a pour plate on its top end. The A still further object of the invention is to pour plate and work support have work-receiving provide a spring-pressed mandrel arrangement depressions around the mandrel to center the that is readily retracted from the finished casting work relative to the mandrel. In addition, the Without damaging the casting. pour plate and work support have bead-forming A still further feature of the invention is to recesses surroundin the mandrel to receive metal provide a spring-pressed mandrel and clamping from the pour plate for forming beads on the assembly for accommodating work pieces of difopposed faces of the Work. The work, if in several ferent widths. sections, is first connected to hold the sections An object of the invention is to provide a simple, in their operative relation, and is then seated relatively inexpensive casting machine that will around the mandrel in the depression of the q c y line Work pi s $110 as Co necti g rods work support. The pour plate is next mounted so with metal such as babbitt or other bearing metal. on top of the work to receive the top face of the A further Object of the inVentiOn is to provide work in its work-receiving depression. A clampa casting machine for rebabbitting bearin jng device t on t pour m t t clamp the which machine is adapted to accommodate bear- Work in position. This clamping device is effective ings of different Widths Without} necessitating to depress the mandrel against the action of change of diesicore pieCes"or the llkethe Spring so that the Work is firmly held in A sti1l further object of the invention is to fixed position between the work support and pour provlde castmg a h quickly forms plate, irrespective of the height or width of the ags gg cavlty m or around a Work arm Wlthout Interference from the man 40 A still further object of the invention is to drel. The top face of the pour plate has a molten metal-receiving trough and apertures join the bottom of this trough with the space between the mandrel and Work so that molten metal will completely fill this space and also flow into the bead-forming recesses for forming beads on the top and bottom faces of the Work. When the molten metal has solidified, the clamping device is released, the pour plate is rotated to break the gates which extend through the apertures,

provide a babbitting machine which will simultaneously form babbitted end faces and main bearing surfaces with oil grooves.

A further object of the invention is to provide a, connecting rod rebabbitting machine which will line a split connecting rod bearing with babbitt metal.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rebabbitting machine that will simultaneously babbitt all sections of a multi-section bearing.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a babbitting machine that will simultaneously from bearing linings in both halves of a split connecting rod bearing or the like without interfering with the separation of the split sections.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed sheets of drawings which, by way of a preferred example only, illustrate one embodiment of the invention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a casting machine accordin to this invention and illustrating in dotted lines the manner in which a connecting rod is mounted of the machine for the casting operation.

Figure 2 is a front elevational View of the machine of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view, with parts in elevation, taken along the lines IIIIII of Figure 1, and III-III of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a connecting rod with the mandrel of the casting "for the machine of this invention.

As shown on the drawings:

The machines of this invention include a table or supporting frame 1'0 shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 6 having upstanding supporting legs Hand a fiat horizontal table top 12.

A work supporting die 13 is mounted on hollow posts or studs M supported on 'the'table top *IZ. Bolts I5 are passed through the four corners of the die l3, through the hollow studs 'M, and

through the tabletop "l'2'to receive nuts it on their threaded ends which seat-against the underface of the table top l2 to fixedly-secure the 'di'e'1'3 in spaced relation above the table top. The die I3 can be readily-replaced or removed by removal of the nuts 16 from the 'bolts "P5.

As best shown in Figure '3, the work support die l3 has a vertical cylindrical aperture or bore I! therethrough sl-i'da'bly receiving therein -a-metal core member 'or mandrel 1-8. This mandrelprojects above the top 'face "ofthe die 13 to extend through the work piece and provides the inner forming surface for the lining-or bearing metal that is cast into the work piece. The mandrel I 8, as shown in Figures 3 an'd'4, carries'keys- -or inserts H) which have pointed ends I9a "projecting radially from diametrically opposite sides of the mandrel and providerid'ge's on the surface of the mandrel. The projecting ends l'9a of the keys fit into grooves suchas 'I la provided in the aperture 11. As will hereinafter be more "fully described, the pointed 'ends'lfla' of the keys 1'9 I! and providing,a wo rk-receiving depression-with a bottom shoulder 21 to support the work 'on the top l2.

at A bead-forming recess 22 is formed in the top face of the die l3 beneath the shoulder 20. This recess 22 extends around the aperture [1 in full communication therewith.

A bolt 23 extends freely through an aperture lZa in the table top l2 under the die 13 and has a threaded upper end 23a threaded into the lower portion of the mandrel I8. This bolt also extends freely through an aperture 24a in a spring-pressed plate 26 mounted under the table Studs 25 depend from the table top l2 to .slidably receive the plate 24 thereon. Coil springs 26 are disposed around the studs 25 between the bottom face of the plate 24 and washersEl seated on the heads 25a of the studs 25. The plate 24 is therefore spring urged toward the table top 12 but can be lowered relative to the table top 52 upon compression of the springs 26.

A nut 28 is threaded on the bolt 23 between the top face of the plate 24 and the bottom face ofthe table 12. The spring pressed plate '25 acts on this nut 28 to yieldably urge it against 'the under face of the table top i=2 so that the bolt 23 will carry the mandrel to project above-the top face of the die "l3 andt-hrough work mount-ed on the die.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2,-the bolt 23 profiects beyond the spring pressed plate 24 and through the bight portion of a Ll-shaped member or yoke 29. Nuts 30 are threaded .on-the bottom end portion of the bolt to thrust against the top and bottom-faces-of-the bigh-t portion'of the yoke -29 for affixing the -yoke -to the bolt.

A link 3| projects into the space between the side legs of the yoke-29 and is connected to the yoke by means-of bolts 32. Spacers-33 on the bolts -32 are positioned between the faces of the links and inner faces of the yoke legs -to hold the link in the center of the yoke.

The link 3| depends between the legs H of the table top and is pivotally connected at -its lower endby means of a bolt 34 to a foot lever or pedal-'mernber 35 which is pivoted at its inner end to a cross-brace 36 carried by the rear legs of the machine in spaced relation above the bottoms-of-the-legs. A bolt or stud pivotall-y connects the lever 35-to the-brace 36. The lever 35 projects beyond the front face of the table 10 and'a foot pad 35a .is secured to the top .of the free end of the lever. When the free end of the lever 35 is depressed the link :31! will pull the bolt 23 downwardly, .the nut .28 on the .bolt will engage the top face of the spring ,pressed plate '24, .and thee-mandrel will be retracted through the apertureils'l of the die -I 3-.to withdraw the mandrelfnom the workpiece, or at least loosenlitfrom the lining in the work piece.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a ,pour plate-3811s removably mounted on top 20f the mandrel L8. This pour plate 38 has a hollow central boss portion 38a providing an open-bottomed .recess 39 receiving .a boss-or post l8a on the top of the mandrel. The post Ida centers the pour plate 38 on the mandrel. An annular trough 48 isprovided in the top face of the pour plate 38 around the boss 38a thereof to form a molten metal-receiving chamber. A plurality of apertures 4! are formed at spaced'intervals through the pour plate 38 around the'boss 38a thereof.

"The bottom face of the pour plate has a cylindrical bore 42 extending for a slight distance "therein to terminate in a horizontal shoulder '43. This bore provides a work-receiving recess for the top face of the work. Ahead-forming recess dieand to center the work relative to themandr'el. '75 44 is provided above the work-receivingrecess in the underface of the pour plate 38 and this recess is connected to the trough 40 in the top face of the plate through the apertures 4 I. Molten metal poured into the trough 40 flows through the apertures M into the recess 34 and from the recess flows around the mandrel within the work piece to the bottom recess 22 as will be more fully hereinafter described.

A handle 45 is welded to the periphery of the pour plate 38.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 6 a toggle clamp device 46 is mounted on the table top l2 to act on the pour plate for clamping the work piece between the pour plate and die around the mandrel.

The clamping device 46 includes a supporting plate 47 mounted on studs 48 carried by the table top i2. ()pposed angle brackets 49 are bolted or riveted to the supporting plate 4! and have upstanding spaced opposed flanges 49a receiving the end of a clamping bar 50 therebetween. A pivot pin 5i extends through the flanges 59a and through the rear end of the bar 50 to pivotally connect the bar to the flanges. The free or forward end oi the bar 50 has a work-engaging member 52 pivoted thereon to act on the boss 38a of the pour plate 38. A handle 53 has bifurcated opposed portions 53a -53a straddling the flanges 49a and pivoted thereto by means of pins such as 54. A pair or links 55 project between the bifurcated or strap portions 53a. of the handle and are pivoted thereto by means of a pin 56. The other ends of the links straddle the clamping bar 5!} and are pivoted thereto by means of a pin 51. A stop pin 58 extends transversely through the clamping bar 50 in spaced relation forwardly from the pivot pin 51.

To move the Work-engaging member 52 against the boss 38a of the pour plate 38 the handle 53 is pulled forwardly until it strikes the stop pin 58 as shown in Figure 1. When the handle engages the stop pin 58, the links 23 will have slightly passed their dead center positions relative to the pivots 56 and 5'1, and these links will then positively hold the clamping bar against upward movement away from the pour plate as a result of pressure on the clamping bar tending to urge it in this direction.

To release the clamp, the handle 53 is pushed backwardly to the position shown in Figure 6. This movement pulls the clamping bar 55 through a greater are than the are through which the handle 53 is swung, and the workengaging end 52 of the clamping bar 55 will be moved completely away from the pour plate. As the handle 53 approaches the stop 58, movement of the clamping bar takes place at a lower rate than the rate of movement of the handle because the links 55 are substantially parallel to the handle. A leverage advantage is thus obtained because the links act as a toggle.

In operation of the machine of this invention, a work piece, such as a conventional connecting rod 58 with a split main bearing portion composed of a half-bearing head Si integral with the rod portion of the connecting rod and a strap member or bearing portion 52 bolted to the head 6! by means of conventional bolts 53, provides an open-ended central aperture 6 of larger diameter than the mandrel I 8. This aperture is lined with babbitt or other bearing metal by the machines of this invention and the head 65 and yoke '52 are simultaneously babbitted or lined with bearing metal.

The connecting rod 60 has opposite end faces 65 surrounding the aperture 64 and these end faces may be worn so that it is desired to cover them with babbitt or other bearing material to produce bearing faces thereon and thus build up the worn faces. The machines of this invention provide for the building up of the end faces 65 simultaneously with the forming of a bearing lining in the aperture 64.

Since the yoke section 62 must be separated from the head 6| to mount the connecting rod on a crankshaft, the babbitt lining must be separated at the dividing line 66 between the head and yoke. For this purpose the keys l9 are provided on the mandrel i8 so that the babbitt metal will be very thin at the dividing line 66 and can be easily separated.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3 and 6, the connecting rod Eli is mounted on the Work-supporting die l3 with the bottom face 65 thereof extending into the work-receiving recess 2%) and resting on the shoulder 2! of the die. A por tion of the face 65 is exposed to the bead-forming recess 22 of the die. The mandrel 58 projects completely through the aperture fi l of the connecting rod, and the connecting rod is rotated to align the keys 9 with the dividing line 65 between the head and yoke 62. The pour plate 28 is then mounted on the mandrel I8 and centered thereon by the post 53a of the mandrel. The top face 65 of the connecting rod 60 projects into the work-receiving recess 42 of the pour plate 38 and abuts the shoulder 53 at the bottom of this recess. As shown in Fla ure 3, however, a portion of this top face 85 is fully exposed to the bead-forming recess 44.

The recess 29 centers the connecting rod so that the aperture 64 therethrough will be equally spaced from the cylindrical outer wal1 of the mandrel 28.

The toggle clamping device 66 is then actuated to move the work-engaging member 52 on the clamping bar 50 against the top of the boss portion 38a of the pour plate. This will securely clamp the connecting rod between the pour plate and the die. Since the mandrel is spring pressed, it is moved downwardly to permit this clamping relationship of the parts. The nut 28 is preferably so adjusted that the mandrel will carry the pour plate 38 in spaced relation above the top face E5 of the connecting rod until the clamping bar to acts on the pour plate to depress it into clamping engagement with the top face of the connecting rod. This adjustment is desirable since release of the clamping device from the pour plate after the casting operation will bring about separation of the pour plate from the connecting rod because the mandrel will push the pour plate above the connecting rod.

Molten metal such as babbitt is poured into the chamber 40 of the pour plate 38 and flows through the apertures ll into the bead-forming recess M from which it flows into the space in the aperture 64 around the mandrel It and thence into the bead-forming recess 22. All of these spaces will be filled with metal and, as soon as the metal has solidified, the clamping device is released, the pour plate rotated by the handle 65 to break the gates in the apertures 4!, and the foot pedal is depressed to retract the mandrel l8 through the connecting rod, thereby releasing the lined rod from the machine. The machine is immediately ready for the next casting operation by slipping another connecting rod over the mandrel, by melting gate metal from the pour-plate, which gate metal .is :easilyre- :moved since it will ,not cost the plate, and by again actuating the clamping device to lock the workpiece between the pour v.plateand the stationary die.

As illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the connecting rod members 6i and 62 have babbitt linings :Gla and 62a respectively therein, which linings are separated by V-shaped grooves 61 formed by the pointed ends |9a of the keys 19. These grooves El may completely separate the linings fila and 62a, or may have a very thin connecting layer of bearing material at their bottom ends. This very thin layer is readily ruptured by separation of the Connecting rod halves "GI and 62. The lining material extends overth'e end faces 65 of the connecting rod to form beads 68 thereover. These beads are of diminished width at the grooves iii and will also rupture or break-at these points when it is desired to separate the connecting rod pieces 6! and 52. However, the lined bearing is radially bored and ground atthe end faces thereof to the desired dimensions before the sections (it and 62 are separated and unless the width of the connecting rod is materially undersize, the beads 68 are ground to a very thin section and, in most instances, are completely ground off. Therefore, no complications result in attempted separation of the connecting rod sections GI and 62, by virtue of the beads extending across the dividing line between the sections.

From the above descriptions it will, therefore, be clear that this invention provides an easily operated and relativelyinexpensive machine for simultaneously lining he sections of a multi-section bearing to not only build up the main bearingportion thereof and provide lubricant grooves therein, but to also build up the end faces of the sections in the event the same are undersize.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to-limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A casting machine for babbitting connecting rod bearings and the like which 'comprises a table having a flat top, a vertically apertured horizontal work-supporting die detachably mounted on said top in spaced relation'th'ereabove, a plurality of studs depending from the table top, a plate slidable on said studs, springs carried by said studs urging the plate toward the top of the table, a vertical bolt slidable through said plate and table top, a stop nut threaded on said bolt between the table top and plate to limit upward movement of the bolt and to act on the plate for compressing the springs upon downward movement of the bolt, a foot pedal pivoted on the lower portion of the table, a link connectng the pedal with the bolt for pulling the bolt downwardly when the pedal is depressed, a mandrel slidable in the aperture of said die and secured on said bolt for movement therewith, -a pour plate detachably seatable on top of said mandreL'the top face of said die and the bottom face of said pour plate having opposed work-receiving depressions and bead-forming recesses, said pour plate having a molten metal-receiving trough therein together with apertures therethrough joiningthe' bottom of the trough with the beadforming recess and spaces between the mandrel and work, and a toggle clamp device mounted on :said table top .ihavi-ng a clamping bar for acting son the pour plate to clamp the work between the dieandpour plate and to depress themandrel to accommodate iullr-seating of the pour platebn the work.

2. :A coasting :machine for simultaneouslylining the bearing halvesof .a connecting rod or the like which comprises a work support,-a coremember slidably mounted in said work support .and projecting therefrom through a connecting rod mounted on the support, said core having radially extending keys adapted to be aligned with the dividing line between the halves of the connecting rod to form grooves in the lining at said dividing line, means for pouring molten metal around said core into said connecting rod, and means for retracting thecore from the solidified metal in the connecting rod.

3. A machine for simultaneously babbitting the sections of a multi-section bearing which oomprises a work support for receiving the bearing thereon, a core member slidable relative to said work support for projecting through the bearing, said core member having a peripheral face for shaping the inner face of the lining to be 'castin the bearing, radially projecting keys on said core member adapted to be aligned-with the dividing lines between the bearingsections toform grooves in the bearing metal at said dividing lines, .a member for overlying a bearing 'on said work support, said member having gate openings therethrough communicating with the space in the bearing around the core, means acting on said member to clamp the bearing between the member and work support, and means for retracting the core from the bearing to release-the lined bearing from the machine,

4. A casting machine for lining bearings or the like whichcomprises a table, a work-supporting die detachably fixed in stationary relation to the top of the table in spaced relation above said top, said die having an aperture therethrough, a mandrel slidably mounted in said aperture,.springpressed means acting on said mandrel and supported by said table for urging the mandrel upwardly through the work support, means acting in opposition to the thrust of said spring pressed means for retracting the mandrel through work on said support, a pourplate detachably seatable on and supported only by said mandrel, :and a clamping device on said table for acting on said pour-plate to clamp'the work between the pour plate and work support and to adjust said mandrel downwardly to accommodate the size of the work.

5. In a bearing lining machine adapted :to simultaneously cast bearing material onto all sections of a multi-section bearing ring without intei fering with separation of the bearingsections which comprises opposed members for receiving a inulti-section bearing ring therebetween, means releasably acting'on said members to clamp the bearing therebetween, one ofxsaid members having gate passages therein for feeding molten bearing metal into the bearing ring, a mandrel slidably disposed in the bearing ring, said mandrel having a contour to shape the inner surface of the bearing metal, and ribs extending radially from :the mandrel into close proximity with the bearing ring along the dividing lines between the sections thereof to separate the bearing metal into sections coextensive with the bearing sections.

6. A castingmachine comprising a stationary Work supporting die having 'avertical aperture,

a mandrel slidable in the aperture of said die and projecting above said die, spring means supporting said mandrel, said mandrel having a shaping surface along its length, a pour plate removably mounted on and supported only by said mandrel, said pour plate and said die having opposed depressions to receive the ends of a workpiece disposed between the pour plate and the die and around the mandrel, and a clamping device operable on said pour plate to move it and the mandrel against the thrust of the spring means downwardly for clamping said workpiece against said die plate and to adjust the efiective length of the shaping surface of said mandrel to the height of the workpiece.

7. A casting machine comprising a Work-positioning die, a mandrel mounted for slidable vertical movement in said die and having grooveforming ridges on its surface, a spring-pressed support means for said mandrel, a bolt for limiting the upward movement of said mandrel, a poor plate detachably mounted on said mandrel, and clamping means for securing the work piece between said pour plate and said die.

8. A casting machine comprising a support block having a bearing receiving surface with an aperture therein, a resiliently mounted mandrel slidable in the aperture and extending through the bearing to provide an elongated bearing form- 10 ing surface, a pour plate mounted on said mandrel having ports communicating with the interior of the bearing around the mandrel, and clamping means associated With said pour plate for clamping the bearing between the pour plate and said support block and for automatically adjusting the length of the bearing forming sur face of the mandrel to the length of the face of the bearing.

WILLIAM HENRY TOBENER, J 2.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

